The Love of Another
by NekoSerendipity
Summary: While on a search for her family, Raia meets Inuyasha and co. She falls in love with Inuyasha, but what will happen with Kagome still around? KagomeInu. In the process of making Kagome nicer
1. The Girl in the Village

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Shippo, or the Shikon jewel. I DO own Raia and Sol, however, very happily!  
  
AUTHOR'S UPDATE 12/8/03: I'm so sorry about this chapter and anything that bashes Kagome. I love Kagome, she's a great character, and I'm working on re-writing this so that Kagome isn't quite as evil... Sorry everybody!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Snow. Raia cursed and pulled her cloak around herself more tightly. She huddled underneath a large fir tree and watched the heavy flakes drift to the ground.  
  
"It's the elevation," a man's voice said from behind her.  
  
Raia turned to see a medium sized hanyou with silver hair and pointy ears on top of his head. "Inuyasha," she said in greeting. She closed her eyes and rested her head on her knees.  
  
"What's a miko (a miko is a female priestess like Kikyo) like you doing out here?" Inuyasha asked with a hint of mocking in his voice.  
  
Raia sighed and looked through the leafless trees, far away across the valley, and to the horizon. "It's usually purple over there when it's sunny." She lifted a hand and pointed to the horizon, her voice muffled in her pants.  
  
Inuyasha sighed and rolled his eyes. Ever since the brown-haired purple- eyed miko had arrived in the small town in Japan, she hadn't answered any questions with a straight answer. Inuyasha was ready to give up talking to her at all, but Kagome would 'sit' him a million times if he didn't get the information that she wanted.  
  
Raia stretched out her legs upon the pine-covered ground and straightened her red hakama (they're like samurai pants). She tucked her waist-length hair behind her ears and leaned back on her hands, closing her eyes again.  
  
Inuyasha rolled his eyes and sat down on a rock. 'I'll wait for her to talk,' he thought to himself.  
  
***  
  
Kagome sipped her tea, kneeling at the table in the main room of the small country house. She looked up as a seemingly mild monk wearing purple and black robes walked in.  
  
"Good afternoon, Kagome. Does this cursed place always snow? Why did we have to stop here?" He flopped down and set down his long staff.  
  
"We have to protect the town from demons, you know that! You just don't want to be here because there aren't any pretty women to hit on." Kagome set down her tea. "There's a new woman in town who you haven't met, by the way. She keeps to herself and is usually up on the hill. I sent Inuyasha to try to talk to her. You might be able to charm her, Miroku. At least she'll probably slap you." The idea of Miroku charming anybody made her want to laugh.  
  
Miroku stood up, snorting as he did so. "I'll try talking to her. Inuyasha is bound to get annoyed with her for not talking and he'll try to kill her."  
  
A little fox yokai bounded in, a red-gold cat skipping at his side.  
  
"Shippo, do you want to go out for a walk with Miroku?" Kagome asked.  
  
Shippo stopped. "No thanks. I made friends with this cat and we came to see if there is anything to eat in this godforsaken place."  
  
"Is eating all you guys think about?" Kagome grumbled, standing up.  
  
"No," Miroku replied immediately.  
  
"It was a rhetorical question, you utterly perverted baka of a monk!" Kagome left to find some rice in the kitchen.  
  
"PMS," Miroku muttered to Shippo. A pan flew out of the kitchen and slammed into Miroku's head. He howled and collapsed on the ground, a large bump growing on his head.  
  
Shippo snorted. "You deserved it! I mean, I know it's not your fault that Kagome suffers from strange monthly spurts of anger that I don't understand- "  
  
A pot flew out and dropped on Shippo's head. He collapsed next to Miroku and the cat stared at them.  
  
***  
  
Raia opened her eyes when it stopped snowing and looked over at Inuyasha. "You are looking for the Shikon no Tama shards, ne?"  
  
Inuyasha nearly fell off the rock that he was perched upon. "How did you know?"  
  
"Kagome has it, ne? I sensed it when I first met her." Raia was looking at the geta (a type of Japanese sandal) on her feet. "And she's the reincarnation of Kikyo, ne?"  
  
'I got a straight answer!' "Do you- I mean where did you- I mean how did you-"  
  
"Don't bother," Raia whispered sadly. She provided no explanation, but brought a small flute-like instrument to her lips and blew a few notes. Nothing happened for a few minutes, and Inuyasha was about to ask what she had done when he saw a streak of red-gold. Raia held out her arm and Inuyasha saw a cat standing in front of her.  
  
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.  
  
"This is my neko, Sol." Raia stroked the cat's chin with a finger and it purred. "He's my only companion."  
  
Inuyasha suddenly felt a twinge of something. Anger? Frustration? No, nothing like that. It was a hollow, sad feeling. Was it...? No, it couldn't be! Pity? Inuyasha didn't have any time to dwell upon the new emotion, for he saw Miroku and Shippo walking up the hill towards them.  
  
Raia stood up to greet the newcomers with a bow. She then turned to look back at the horizon across the valley and sat down underneath the tree again.  
  
Miroku went around to face her, kneeled down so that he could look into her eyes, and got her attention. "Hello, I'm Miroku the virtuous monk."  
  
Raia blinked in surprise. She tried to remember what Kagome had told her about Miroku, but she couldn't bring it to mind because she hadn't really been paying attention. "Hajimemashite (nice to meet you)." She looked over at Shippo. "And you're the kitsune Shippo, ne?"  
  
Shippo did a double take. "How do you know my name? Are you psychic?"  
  
Raia shook her head slowly and a tinge of sadness appeared at the corners of her eyes. "Far from it, my little tomodachi (friend). No, I know your name because Kagome told me about all of you."  
  
Miroku seemed to be growing uncomfortable. He finally caught Raia's attention again. "May I ask you a question?"  
  
"Um, sure, but I might not be able to answer." Raia jumped when he grasped her hands. She began to edge away ever so slightly, her mind close to remembering what Kagome had said.  
  
"Here it comes," Inuyasha and Shippo muttered, large sweatdrops appearing next to their heads.  
  
Miroku ignored them and took on a 'virtuous' expression. "Will you bear my child?"  
  
Raia's face became increasingly red. She didn't respond.  
  
"Well? Is that a yes?" Miroku became slightly excited at the prospect of a yes.  
  
"BAKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Raia pulled out a hidden sheathed sword and thwacked Miroku over the head with it. "WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU, HENTAI?!"  
  
Inuyasha and Shippo were knocked over by the force of her voice.  
  
"What the hell?!" Inuyasha gaped at Raia from the ground. It was the loudest he'd ever heard anybody's voice. It hurt his sensitive ears and made him jump out of his skin.  
  
Raia cleared her throat and hid her sword again. Miroku was up again, used to being attacked by the women he asked. Shippo and Inuyasha jumped to their feet.  
  
"Gomen nasai, I didn't mean to yell so loudly," Raia was addressing Inuyasha, whose ears were still ringing. He had an annoyed look on his face, and he was beginning to pout. She smiled her first smile since she had been in the village. It transformed her forlorn and brooding face into a shining, bright, kind complexion.  
  
As Inuyasha looked at her, he felt his heart skip a beat.  
  
The smile was short lived, however, and Raia picked up Sol and walked down the steep hill towards the village without a word of parting. Kagome waved when she saw Raia and ran over.  
  
"Hey, where are you headed?" Kagome inquired cheerfully, trying to keep up with Raia's long-legged walk.  
  
Raia shrugged and turned down a road towards the place where she was staying. Kagome stopped and didn't follow her into the small house.  
  
"Heartless little b-"  
  
"No."  
  
Kagome jumped and turned her head to see Inuyasha standing next to her. "What did you say, Inuyasha?"  
  
"She's not heartless," Inuyasha said flatly. "Nor soulless. Iie, she's just... confused, I guess. It's hard to tell what she's thinking. I bet she had some hardship in the past... like me." He left as quietly as he had come and Kagome followed him.  
  
***  
  
Raia set Sol down on the tatami covered floor and sat down at the table. She rested her elbows on it and her eyes began to quiver. Sol brushed up against her and purred.  
  
"There's no sign of my parents or siblings here, either." Raia sighed. "I don't know why I expected them to be here, anyway. I guess it's because I sensed a kindred spirit here. Maybe I shouldn't be quite so harsh on Kagome and the others. They ARE trying to be my friends, after all. I've never really trusted anybody before..."  
  
Sol meowed and jumped onto the table. He sat down and regarded Raia with an intelligent glare.  
  
"I'll go over to their place and see what I can do to make amends. I hope they don't kick me out like most people would after that kind of dislay of rudeness." She stood up. "You stay here, Sol." She slid on her geta and walked along the swiftly darkening streets to the house of Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippo. She knocked on the door tentatively.  
  
Miroku opened the door. "Yes, have you come to bear my child?"  
  
Raia had been prepared for such a greeting, so she thwacked him over the head with her sheathed sword.  
  
Kagome went to the door to inspect why Miroku had collapsed to the floor. "Oh, it's YOU." A bitter tinge was in her voice. "What do you want?" 'Why does she insist on coming here to see Inuyasha..? No... Maybe I'm just jumping to conclusions...'  
  
Raia stepped forward slightly. "Please forgive me for earlier, I have many things on my mind."  
  
Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Well, I guess you can come in. Have you eaten yet?" 'Please say yes!'  
  
Food. Raia blinked. She hadn't eaten anything since she had gotten to the village. "No, no, I haven't." She tried to keep her newly reminded stomach from growling.  
  
"We were just about to sit down to eat. Why don't you join us?" Kagome seemed to be forcing herself to be polite.  
  
"Yes, please!" Raia stepped out of her sandals and followed Kagome to the table. She kneeled down and smiled at Shippo. "Konnichiwa."  
  
Shippo smiled back and tapped the table restlessly with his chopsticks. "Konnichiwa! Hurry up with the food, Kagome!"  
  
"Be patient, will you?" Kagome snapped. "Inuyasha! Dinner!"  
  
Raia heard some clattering on the roof and a thump outside. The shoji door slammed open and shut, and Inuyasha was standing in the room. "Huh?" He blinked at Raia. "What are YOU doing here?"  
  
Raia sighed and stood up. "If you want me to leave, I will. Obviously I am unwanted here."  
  
"Yes you-" Kagome started.  
  
"No, stay." Inuyasha sat down next to her and pulled her into a sitting position again. "Eat." He grabbed a dish of rice from Kagome and put it in front of Raia.  
  
'He's being nice to her... After all I went trough with him before he was nice to me for a second, and now he's being nice to her right away?!' Kagome bristled. "I... I... INUYASHAAA! May I speak to you OUTSIDE for a moment?" She didn't wait for a response and dragged him outside. "What are you doing?"  
  
Inuyasha brushed off his robes. "Being ki- er, hospitable!"  
  
"That woman has been nothing but rude and unkind to us since we met her! Why should we be nice to her now? Haven't you ever heard the saying "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth?""  
  
'This isn't like you, Kagome...' Inuyasha sighed and rolled his eyes. "Are you jealous or something? I thought you were in love with that other guy we met."  
  
Kagome blushed. "Well it is not like I'm going to see him again, so-"  
  
"So you have claims on your little drop back, also known as me." A hurt look flitted across Inuyasha's face, but it quickly vanished. "Look, I'm neutral right now! I don't love Kikyo, you, or Raia."  
  
"Oh, you know her name?" Kagome spat.  
  
"So do you."  
  
"That's not the point!" Kagome was intent on accusing Inuyasha for something. "You... you... You're not normally kind!"  
  
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "Well I can't expect a wench like you to understand, can I?" He whirled around and stormed back into the house.  
  
Kagome clenched her hands. "SIT!" She screamed. A loud crash echoed from the house.  
  
"WENCH!" Inuyasha yelled from within. He got up, looking to see if Raia was watching him.  
  
"She left," Miroku and Shippo chorused, pointing to the door. "She said she didn't want to come between you two and said she was going for a walk."  
  
Inuyasha ran to the door.  
  
"Where are you going?" Miroku asked. When Inuyasha glared at him, he waved his hands nervously. "Just in case Kagome asks!"  
  
"For a walk," Inuyasha snapped before slamming the sliding door behind himself. He looked up at the cloudy sky and sighed, a puff of condensed air drifting like a cloud into the sky. He walked along the dirt roads towards the edge of the small town. 'Kagome... I don't know if I love you or not... Raia... she's nice... and she doesn't remind me so much of Kikyo.' He found himself wandering up the path on the hill. At the top he came upon Raia sitting on the rock he bad been sitting on. She was looking across the valley again. He chose not to speak and silently sat down on the cold ground.  
  
"Two years," Raia muttered. A gust of wind lifted her hair off her shoulders.  
  
Inuyasha wasn't sure to whom she was speaking, so he remained quiet.  
  
Raia shivered as the cold wind cut through her cloak and chilled her to the bone. "Inuyasha?"  
  
Inuyasha looked up from the ground. He hadn't known if she knew he was there, but he wasn't surprised that she had sensed him. "Yes?"  
  
"Did you know your parents?" Her voice was quiet and tentative.  
  
"Somewhat, but not really. I was quite young. My father is dead, and so is my mother." Inuyasha looked up at the sky. "Why?"  
  
Raia was silent for a moment. "Two years ago a lightning demon attacked my house. All four of us were scattered to different parts of Japan, or so I've been lead to believe. Who knows, they all could be dead. I haven't seen my two sisters or my brother for an extremely long time, well, ever since the demon attacked us. But... I haven't seen or heard from my parents since I was five. Ever since the incident two years ago, I have been travelling from town to town, looking for my sisters and brothers... And forever searching for my parents."  
  
Inuyasha was surprised that she was telling him everything. He noticed that she was toying with a polished piece of amethyst. "Do you have anything that connects you to them now?" 'What is this feeling? Am I falling in... love?' He shook his head vigorously. 'I can't be.'  
  
Raia held up the amethyst with her middle finger and forefinger. "When put together, the gems form a five pointed star. I suppose I cannot assume that any of us are dead, because the gem would lose it's shine if that were to happen."  
  
They sat in silence for a long time, letting the wind toss their hair.  
  
"Where will you go next?" Inuyasha asked finally.  
  
Raia shrugged and pulled her knees up to her chest. "Wherever the wind takes me, I suppose." She took the hilt of her sword and unsheathed two inches of it. The clouds began to clear and a shaft of moonlight bounced off the silver metal surface.  
  
Inuyasha cleared his throat. "Not that I care, but you could always come with us." Not wanting to sound soft, Inuyasha added: "I mean, you can sense jewel shards, after all."  
  
"Why are you being like this, Inuyasha? You're usually so heartless and emotionless, or so I've been told." Raia turned to look at him.  
  
"Feh." Inuyasha pouted and stood up. "I'm not being any different."  
  
"Inuyasha." Raia's voice cracked and she cleared her throat, but the tears building in her eyes wouldn't go away. She bit her lips until she tasted blood, but a tear still rolled down her cheek.  
  
Inuyasha blinked. 'Did I do something?'  
  
Raia couldn't stop the tears that burst forward and she buried her face in her knees.  
  
Inuyasha wasn't sure what to do. "I'm sorry Raia, I don't have emotions. I don't know what sympathy is. I don't even know why the hell you're crying." He twirled around and hurried down the hill away from the girl that may his emotions go haywire. 'Why must I lie to myself and her? I do know why she's crying.. I know how hard it is to lose a loved one...'  
  
Raia cried until her eyes couldn't produce anymore water. "I guess I shouldn't have spoken of my family. It hurts so much still." She sniffed one last time and went back to her house. 


	2. To Sleep Under Stars

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, Miroku, Kikyo (did I even mention her before?) aaand er. . . The Shikon jewel. I DO own Raia, Toki, and all the other people who aren't Rumiko's!  
  
Author's Update 12/8/03 Okay, everybody, it has been edited so that Kagome is NICER! And so that it's geared more towards Kag/Inu  
  
AN: Second chapter! Yay! You know, I write half of this in class and I have to hide it so that my teachers don't get angry with me. I pay attention, though, I SWEAR! I wrote a whole lot of this in Literacy and Caro sits next to me, so she's helped me a lot. I wrote a lot of it when I was taking a test in Chorus, too, so thanks to N-kun and Raven, too.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Raia awoke to the sound of someone banging on her door. She sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Coming, coming." She slid her yukata on over her bare skin and pulled her hair back into a low ponytail. She opened the door, yawning.  
  
"You coming?" Inuyasha asked, a snarl threatening to roll off his lips.  
  
'He's been fighting with Kagome, no doubt.' "You're leaving already?"  
  
"No," Inuyasha snapped. He pointed to the village entrance. "Demon."  
  
"Oh! I'll be there in a second!" She shut the door and ran to change into her miko clothes. She grabbed her sword and jammed her feet into her geta, running out of the house. She hurried towards the noise and jumped aside as a large chunk of demon squelched to the ground. "Thank kami I haven't eaten anything yet."  
  
Inuyasha was thrown to the ground, tetsusaiga clutched in his hand. "Kagome, do you see any jewel shards?"  
  
Raia noticed that Kagome obviously didn't want to help Inuyasha in the slightest bit. Raia turned to the demon and focused on him. "He has one in his right shoulder."  
  
Inuyasha jumped and looked at her. "I forgot that you can sense the jewel." He narrowed his eyes. "In that case..." He bunched his legs and jumped. He brought his sword down upon the demon, but it blocked him with its arm. It roared and slashed at Inuyasha. Inuyasha dodged the demon but he felt something pierce his back. He landed on the ground and felt blood trickling from the wound.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled, running over. She bent down to help him.  
  
Raia was on the verge of feeling jealous when Inuyasha pushed Kagome away. "I'm fine!"  
  
Nobody noticed the tear that rolled down Kagome's cheek.  
  
Inuyasha jumped up again and slashed at the demon's stomach with his sword. The demon stumbled back and Inuyasha drove the sword in farther. "Die!" He gave one last thrust and the demon collapsed on the ground.  
  
Raia jumped onto the beast and drove her sword through its shoulder to cut out the jewel shard. She handed the bloody gem to Inuyasha when he came up behind her. "It's all yours. I have no use for it."  
  
"I didn't expect you to!" Inuyasha grabbed the shard from her and gave it to Kagome. He was about to follow her back to the house when he turned back. "We're leaving this afternoon if you want to come."  
  
Raia nodded. "I'll come." She whirled around and stalked back to her house. Fighting a demon early in the morning was the last thing she had wanted to do, and it was putting her in a bad mood. And to make things worse, now she would have to face the next few months alongside a woman who hated her guts. At least she would have some sort of company instead of travelling alone with Sol as her only companion.  
  
She cooked some rice for breakfast and packed what clothes she had into a small travel bag.  
  
***  
  
The shadows were beginning to lengthen when Inuyasha and co. came to pick Raia up. She was sitting on her porch with Sol in her lap.  
  
"Where are we headed?" Raia inquired, standing up and hefting her pack onto her shoulders.  
  
Inuyasha pointed to the hill. "We're going to descend into the valley and stop at the first town there."  
  
They all began to walk in silence, everyone thinking about his or her own thing. When they reached the top of the hill, the bright orange setting sun was turning the horizon purple.  
  
The hill grew more like a mountain as they traversed along the rough dirt path. It was steep, and the slant was difficult on Raia's leg muscles. Occasionally rocks would roll from under their feet and someone would have to catch the unfortunate slipper.  
  
When the darkness closed in upon them, Shippo and Miroku struck up a conversation with Kagome. Inuyasha and Raia walked at the front, quietly listening to the chatter behind them.  
  
The slope straightened out slightly at midnight when total darkness was setting in. All around was total silence except for the wind and Shippo, Miroku, and Kagome whispering.  
  
Inuyasha looked at Raia. She had a sad look on her face, and her shoulders were slumped. "Tired, you weak human?"  
  
Raia shook her head and stood up straighter. "Iie." She provided no other explanation.  
  
"Can we stop?" Kagome called from behind. "I'm tired."  
  
"Feh, weak human," Inuyasha muttered.  
  
"We've been travelling for a long time, Inuyasha, even you must be tired," Raia accused. They stepped off the path and began to set up camp in the field.  
  
Raia spread down her small blanket and lay down upon it. It wasn't much of a bed, but it was all she had.  
  
Kagome had a nice, warm sleeping bag, and Shippo was curled up with her in it. Miroku had a roll of blankets and he was already sleeping only five minutes after they had set up camp.  
  
Inuyasha lay down on the hard ground and stared up at the sky. It was warmer in the valley, but not much warmer. The piercing wind was making him shiver, but he wasn't one to complain. He merely steeled himself and closed his yes, keeping his senses elevated in case anything happened.  
  
Being skinny, Raia didn't have much of anything besides her clothes to keep her warm. She wrapped her blanket around herself and curled up into a small ball. The wind still pierced right through the blanket, however.  
  
Inuyasha's ears detected a lot of movement from Raia and he looked over at her. When he saw her curled up in a pathetic bundle, his first response was to laugh at her suffering and go back to looking at the stars.  
  
A particularly strong blast of wind roared through the trees and Inuyasha heard Raia whimper coldly. The wind chilled him quite a bit as well. He looked over at Kagome and Miroku peacefully sleeping in their own warmth.  
  
Inuyasha couldn't help but go over to Raia. He kicked her. "Move over."  
  
Raia looked up at him. "What?"  
  
"Get up," he ordered.  
  
Raia stood up confusedly. She left the blanket on the ground and shivered when another gust of wind tore through the trees.  
  
Inuyasha picked up the blanket. Raia eyed him with fear. In the darkness she couldn't see his expression, and he was a half demon, after all. "Come here," Inuyasha said as gently as he could. He could sense her fear. "I'm not going to hurt you."  
  
He wrapped one half of the blanket around himself and put the other around Raia. He gently lowered them to the ground and they lay next to each other.  
  
"Inuyasha... thank you." Raia clung to him for warmth, and he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her to keep her warm.  
  
'W-what's going on? Kagome... No! I cannot think about that wench right now..." "To repay me, you have to answer all my questions, okay?" Inuyasha dropped his kind act and became serious again, lifting himself out of his thoughts. It was hard to be mean with the girl pressed up right against him. He felt her nod, rubbing up against his chest. "Well, first tell me about all of your siblings."  
  
Raia smiled. She felt surprisingly warm on the inside when she was that close to Inuyasha. His firerat robe was soft, and his chest was firm underneath her head. "Well, there are my two twin sisters, Toki and Kari, and my older brother Nailu."  
  
"What are they like?"  
  
"Well, Toki has curly black hair and purple eyes like me. She studies magic and sword arts." Raia paused and Inuyasha poked her.  
  
"Keep going," he demanded with mock anger.  
  
Raia yawned. "Well, Kari has long light brown hair and violet eyes-heck, our whole family has violet eyes!" She snorted and Inuyasha could swear she was trying to cover up a laugh. "She's the tallest of the three of us, and she's really good at painting and archery." She yawned again.  
  
Inuyasha was compelled to stroke Raia's head, but he thought against it. "And your brother?"  
  
"Yes, Nailu..." Raia thought for a moment.  
  
'Nailu? Wait, that sounds familiar.'  
  
"Well, he's a bit like Miroku... Except it's more like the girls are all over him instead of the other way around." Raia hid a smile in Inuyasha's chest. "He wields a sword called the Masamune and he's really strong." She pressed even closer to Inuyasha. "But not as strong as you."  
  
Inuyasha looked at the top of her head in surprise. "Flattery will get you nowhere."  
  
Raia laughed. It was a bright laugh that lightened Inuyasha's heart. "Face the truth."  
  
Inuyasha couldn't help but smile slightly. "And your parents?" He felt Raia tense and he realized he probably shouldn't have asked the question.  
  
"I haven't seen them for a very long time..." She swallowed loudly and closed her eyes.  
  
They were silent for a long time and Inuyasha finally spoke. "My mother and father weren't with me for a long time in my life as well. I know how it feels."  
  
Raia whimpered quietly and fisted Inuyasha's robe.  
  
Inuyasha had tightened his arms and he nuzzled her hair before he realized what he was doing. "Night."  
  
"Oyasumi nasai," Raia murmured, already falling asleep. 


	3. The Travels of Toki

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, Miroku, and the Shikon jewel. I DO own Raia, Toki, and all the other people who aren't Rumiko's!  
  
Author's Update 12/8/03 This chapter has been edited!  
  
AN: Yay! I guess people like this! I guess I haven't gotten many reviews, but there haven't been too many flames yet. Anyway, enjoy chapter 3!  
  
Chapter 3 (no duh)  
  
The cold wind had blown in warm weather and sun. Raia awoke to a piece of the long field grass tickling her nose. She got up, leaving the blanket on Inuyasha, who was sleeping like a log.  
  
She changed into a purple sleeveless dress with a full skirt and combed her hair. She pulled it into a high ponytail and fastened it with a bow. She ate a rice cake for breakfast and sat in the grass, closing her eyes and meditating.  
  
When the sun was fully above the horizon, everybody else began to stir. Shippo and Miroku ate their share of breakfast and Kagome changed her clothes. Everybody was high spirited because of the warmth. Kagome wasn't even mad at Inuyasha anymore.  
  
Inuyasha was slightly grumpy, as usual, so he didn't speak much.  
  
They packed up quickly and set off along the road again. Miroku and Shippo chattered about pointless things and Kagome and Raia discussed modern day Japan and feudal Japan.  
  
Inuyasha sniffed loudly and sneezed. He covered his nose.  
  
Raia and Kagome looked at him. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I smell something burning." Inuyasha sneezed again.  
  
Raia scanned the forest and fields and noticed a curl of smoke rising above the trees ahead of them. "Civilization, perhaps?"  
  
Kagome shook her head. "I probably would have sensed something. Same with Inuyasha."  
  
"Forest fire, then?" Miroku mused.  
  
"No, that would be bigger." Raia quickened her pace. "Come, let's hurry."  
  
They hurried along the dusty path and began to pass through a small forest. The shade was dappled with creamy sunshine, and the wind wasn't blowing but for a small breeze on the tops of the trees.  
  
Inuyasha was beginning to lag behind. "It smells like burning flesh and wood."  
  
Raia's nose twitched and she and Kagome sneezed at the same time. "I smell it, too."  
  
Shippo jumped onto Inuyasha's shoulder and they covered each other's noses.  
  
They emerged into the bright daylight and everybody had to blink the sunspots out of their eyes. When they all could see clearly, none of them moved an inch. A gust of wind blew dry dust against their legs.  
  
"What happened here?" Kagome whispered, a look of horror in her eyes.  
  
It was a small village, or what used to be a village. Most of the houses were either burned to the ground or bashed in. The charred remains of personal items and perhaps even people were scattered around everywhere.  
  
Raia suddenly noticed a woman on her knees on the edge of the village on the other side. She wore a black hooded cloak that hid her face, but her curly hair was spilling out of the hood. She was holding a sheathed sword that was covered in soot. "Look, guys, there's a person over there. She doesn't look very dirty, so she's probably not a person from the village who survived the fire."  
  
Miroku was smiling pervertedly. "Let's go meet her!"  
  
Everybody rolled their eyes at Miroku and set off around the perimeter of the village. Raia was ahead of all of them.  
  
'I feel something in the air. Something magical...' "Hello!" Raia called to the stranger.  
  
The stranger jumped up and unsheathed her sword. "Who goes there?" she snarled.  
  
Raia blinked and took in the woman's miko clothes. "You-"  
  
"Demon!" Inuyasha yelled, pointing to the woods.  
  
"And a whole lot of jewel shards," Kagome quipped.  
  
Raia drew her sword and looked at the woman. "Up to fighting?"  
  
The woman nodded and her eyes glinted from the shadows of her hood.  
  
Inuyasha led the way to the demon and attacked without hesitating. They fought the demon for a long time until they beat it to its bloody death and collected the jewel shards. They stood there and stared at the body.  
  
"Do you think it was the demon who attacked the village?" Miroku asked Inuyasha, brushing off his dusty monk's robes.  
  
Inuyasha shook his head and flopped down on a rock. Shippo, Miroku, and Kagome followed suit.  
  
Raia and the woman were facing each other, their swords still drawn. "So," Raia muttered to the woman. "The chances of such an encounter with YOU..." She reached into her hapi coat and grasped something. "But first you must prove to me that you really are..." She left the sentence hanging.  
  
The woman grinned evilly. "How can you doubt me? Who do you think I am, Yura of the slutty hair or something?"  
  
Raia grinned. "On the count of three..."  
  
"Hai." The woman flicked her sword a little bit. "San."  
  
"Ni..." Raia got into fighting stance. The others watched the two of them expectantly.  
  
"Ichi..." The woman reached into her top and grasped something as well.  
  
"Zero!" they yelled at the same time. They pulled their things out of their tops and chucked them into the air. They stuck their swords straight into the air. "Issho ni!" (Together) There was a burst of blinding purple light and something dropped to the ground between the two women.  
  
Raia sheathed her sword. "Long time no see." She was beaming.  
  
The woman pulled her hood down and her dark curls spilled out. "It's been so long, yes. Where have you been?" She glanced at the people behind Raia.  
  
"Oh, here, there, and everywhere. I just met up with all of them," Raia gestured to Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, and Shippo, "and we're travelling together to find... Well, to find you and the others."  
  
'Curly black hair... Wait a second!' Inuyasha stepped forward. "Raia, is this...?"  
  
"This is Toki. Toki, this is my friend, Inuyasha. That's Kagome, and the yokai sitting on her shoulder is Shippo. The perverted monk is Miroku."  
  
"Perverted?" Toki questioned in unison with Miroku, sheathing her sword and resting her hands on her hips. "In what way? He looks virtuous enough..."  
  
"Don't ask... You'll find out soon enough," Kagome replied. She pulled a blanket out of her bag. "Come, let's eat and Toki can catch up with Raia." She spread out a blanket and everybody sat down.  
  
"Have you seen anything of Nailu or Kari?" Raia asked Toki at once.  
  
"No, I was about to ask you that... Have you met anybody interesting?"  
  
"Inuyasha here, and Kagome, Shippo, and Miroku... Nobody else, really. I've kept to myself." She smiled at Inuyasha. "And you, Toki?"  
  
Inuyasha blushed at her smile and busied himself with a rice ball. Kagome felt her spirits drop at Inuyasha's blush and she covered her sad eyes with her bangs.  
  
Toki was looking up at the sky dreamily. "I met this wonderful guy with long, sky blue hair... He was a yokai, but he was... more different than anybody I've ever met in my life."  
  
Everybody minus Raia was staring at Toki intently.  
  
"A dog demon?" Inuyasha asked, a hint of malice in his voice.  
  
"Hai," Toki nodded. "His name was... Sess... Sessh... Sesshoumaru."  
  
"NANI?" Everybody minus Raia screamed. "SESSHOUMARU?"  
  
"What's wrong with that?" Toki and Raia chorused. They glanced at each other quickly.  
  
Inuyasha slapped his forehead. "He's my evil brother, dammit!"  
  
Toki crossed her arms. "Excuse you! Sesshi is NOT evil!"  
  
"Sesshi?" Inuyasha snorted. "Do you know what he'd do to you if you called him that? Sesshoumaru is insane, evil, and arrogant. He would NOT tolerate being called pet names like Sesshi! The guy murdered multiple people! He's a slaughterer! He's... he's...!"  
  
Raia put a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, Inuyasha!" She felt him breathing hard under her hand before he slapped her hand away. "Sesshoumaru can't be completely evil, can he?"  
  
"Yes," Inuyasha scowled, turning around and crossing his arms.  
  
"Bad encounters over the years," Kagome told them. She glanced at Inuyasha sympathetically, but the look when unnoticed.  
  
They all talked for a long time, catching up and telling each other about themselves. "So, where are we headed next?" Toki asked as they packed up the remains of lunch.  
  
"Well, we could always just keep travelling straight to the next village, ne?" Raia suggested. She glanced at Inuyasha and noticed that he hadn't spoken for awhile.  
  
"Yeah, let's do that," Kagome agreed. She led the way to the dirt road and they all traveled away from the depressing burnt city.  
  
Raia and Toki walked next to each other. Raia was turning something over in her hands. "So two of the amethysts are fused... One more and we'll be able to track everybody better."  
  
Toki grinned, but it didn't spread to her cold purple eyes. "Yup!"  
  
"So, how many people have you murdered now?" Raia asked sarcastically. "Or have you kept your temper under control?"  
  
"Eh, the usual... People piss me off and they die. I actually met Sesshi when I was about to kill his little servant, Jaken. The stupid blabbermouth saw my gem and seemed to think it was the shikon no tama." She glanced in front at the chattering Kagome, Miroku, and Shippo. Then her gaze shifted to Inuyasha, who was walking in the grass. "What's up with Inuyasha?"  
  
Raia gazed at him for a moment before turning back to Toki. "He's got a lot on his mind..." Her voice was quiet and riddled with sadness.  
  
"Okay, you HAVE to tell me what's wrong!" Toki whacked her arm. "Come on!"  
  
Raia blushed. "Oh, I just..."  
  
"You like him a lot but he seems to be more in love with Kagome, ne?"  
  
Raia nodded. "But... But I like him so much. I mean, he gave me a chance when he should have kicked me out."  
  
Toki nodded. "Yeah, it was kind of like that for me and Sesshoumaru."  
  
"Ooh, you have to tell me NOW! What happened between you two?"  
  
"Well, I met him and he let me stay with him for awhile... I fell in love, but he is only compassionate towards Rin, an orphan girl... I sort of indirectly told him how I feel, but... He didn't really say anything. HE just walked away and I didn't follow him. But... Rin's just a child, and Sesshoumaru is very old... Well, not VERY old, but he is a yokai, after all." She pulled a bloody strip of yellow cloth out of her pocket. "But... When I got wounded in the arm, he tore his belt for me and tied it around my arm. He tended to me, and I never got to thank him for it. When I woke up I told him that... I told him that I never wanted him to leave me. That was when he walked away. I don't know why a yokai would have tended my wounds, though..."  
  
Raia swallowed and blinked back unwanted tears. She shook her head slightly. "It's a sad story. I hope you see him again." She let her eyes wander to Inuyasha. He met her eyes and they both quickly looked away.  
  
"Me too," Toki whispered.  
  
They both walked and contemplated, not noticing the sun beginning to get low in the sky.  
  
"Let's camp on that hill," Miroku suggested, pointing. "If it gets cold, the rocks will provide a shelter from the wind."  
  
"Good idea!" Shippo bounded ahead. 


	4. Destined to Love Kagome

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Bring me to Life! I do own Toki and Raia AND this story so don't steal it ^.^  
  
Author's Update 12/8/03 TRIUMPH! I have finished editing all the existing chapters! However, I've lost the rest of my Inuyasha inspiration... Gomen!  
  
An: Thank you, once again, to my wonderful friends for inspiration.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Raia yawned and rested her hands on her knees, looking out over the fields from the hill. The sun had just disappeared from view, and everybody was bedding down. Raia knew she wouldn't be able to sleep, so she had come up onto the hill.  
  
Songs that she loved to sing ricocheted around the inside of her head, and her eyes began to glaze over dreamily. The wind tossed her hair and she closed her eyes, feeling it bathe her tired eyelids. When she opened her eyes, she felt Inuyasha sit down next to her on the ground. She didn't say anything, but she put her hand on his.  
  
Inuyasha looked at her with surprise and gazed into her eyes.  
  
One song that Raia enjoyed popped into her mind right then and she began to sing in a dreamy, high, majestic voice. "How can you see into my eyes like open doors, leading you down into my core where I've become so numb? Without a soul my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold until you find it there and lead it back home. Wake me up inside, wake me up inside, call my name and save me from the dark. Bid my blood to run before I come undone. Save the nothing I've become..."  
  
Inuyasha was awed by the song and Raia's amazing voice. He was rather breathless. "Raia..."  
  
Raia sighed and made movements to stand up, but Inuyasha pulled her back down. "I heard you talking to Toki today... You know, about me and everything..." He caught her gaze again. "You see, I'm not much of a romantic guy so this is hard for me. Kikyo was a mistake and I was a fool to hold onto her for so long. Kagome..." He trailed off.  
  
Raia listened carefully, still aware that her hand was on Inuyasha's. "But you can't just forget about them... You have to consider Kagome's feelings."  
  
"No."  
  
Inuyasha and Raia jumped apart and turned to see Kagome. "What?"  
  
"Inuyasha..." Tears were in Kagome's eyes. "I love you, Inuyasha, and I understand that love fades away... You can love whom you want, I don't care! Be who you want to be, I can't change anything!" She tucked her hair behind her ear and looked across the fields. "I suppose I could love Nailu..."  
  
"WHAT?!" Raia exclaimed, jumping up. "Nailu? Where did you see him? What did he look like? Did he have a gem? Did he have short black hair?"  
  
Inuyasha grasped Raia's arm and she tried to jerk away. Her family always came before romance. "Calm down!" Inuyasha pulled her back down into a sitting position.  
  
"He's a traveler, so I don't know where he is right now. As for the gem? Yes, he had it. Nailu showed me everything... I hope to see him again... I could love him as a replacement for you, Inuyasha."  
  
"Well I suppose there are two reasons to look for him now," Raia muttered. She felt restless.  
  
Inuyasha took Raia's hand again. Raia looked up and noticed that his eyes were troubled.  
  
"Well, I'm going to bed now. Good night." Kagome hurriedly walked back to the camp.  
  
Raia moved closer to Inuyasha and put her arm around his back. "Inuyasha...?"  
  
"What?" Inuyasha peered down, pleased to feel her body pressed up against him, but nervous all the same. He wondered if loving Raia really was the right thing.  
  
"Will you ki-"  
  
"Raaaaaia, Inuyaaaaaaaasha! Story time!" Shippo called.  
  
"We'll pass, thanks!" Inuyasha called. He looked back at Raia, afraid to ask what she had just said. ~She wasn't going to ask me to kiss her, was she?~  
  
"Anyway, I was saying... Will you kill that gigantic beetle over there? It's creeping me out." Raia pointed.  
  
Inuyasha crumpled with relief and stuck his leg out, squashing the bug. "A tough girl like you is afraid of bugs?" he inquired skeptically.  
  
"No, not afraid... I rather like bugs, but that one was a demon." She grinned when Inuyasha regarded her with surprise. "You're so handsome," she whispered, reaching up and tracing his jaw with a finger.  
  
Inuyasha blinked, surprised again. "Raia!" He protested. He suddenly felt a tear drop onto his hand. "Raia, what's wrong?"  
  
Raia stood up and faced away from him. "I can't love you."  
  
"What?! Why?" Inuyasha leaped up. "You can love whomever you want!"  
  
"No, Inuyasha... It's not that I CAN'T love you, it's more like I want you to be happy. Inuyasha, I can't give you anything! I'm just a poor girl looking for her lost family. Kagome, on the other hand-"  
  
"What does this have to do with Kagome?" Inuyasha roared.  
  
Raia dropped her eyes to the ground, still facing away from Inuyasha.  
  
"She loves Nailu, doesn't she?!" Raia didn't respond. "Doesn't she?!"  
  
"Inuyasha, the only reason she said she would love Nailu is because she wants to get her mind off of you. It has been nice, Inuyasha. I have felt love, yes, but... Kagome and you are meant to be together. It's destiny." (An: And I think people would kill me if Kagome and Inuyasha weren't together. Originally this was going to be Raia/Inuyasha, but I love Kagome/Inuyasha too much to break them apart!)  
  
Inuyasha hugged Raia from behind. "But Raia..."  
  
"Tell me the truth... Don't you love Kagome?" Raia bit her lip until it bled to keep from crying.  
  
Inuyasha paused and thought for a moment. Flashes of the past flew before his eyes. "Yes, but... Raia I don't want to hurt you!"  
  
Raia sighed and pulled away. "I don't feel pain. Besides, all you felt for me was sympathy." She turned and gently kissed Inuyasha on the cheek. Then she wandered back down the hill to the camp and got ready to sleep.  
  
Inuyasha stood, stunned, on top of the hill. It had ended so quickly, but he knew it was for the better. Suddenly he had the strongest urge to see Kagome. 'She was right. Sympathy is a new emotion for me. I must have mistaken it for love.'  
  
***  
  
Kagome awoke early in the morning before everybody else and jumped when she saw Inuyasha lying next to her. His arm was wrapped around her waist protectively, and his ears were alert. "Inuyasha..? What happened to Raia?"  
  
Inuyasha opened his eyes in a flash. "What?"  
  
"What about Raia?"  
  
Inuyasha sat up and rubbed his eyes. "She realized that we are meant to be together and said so."  
  
Kagome smiled amusedly. "We're meant to be together?"  
  
Inuyasha blushed furiously. "Of course not, I was just saying that!" He was being sarcastic, of course, but Kagome sat him anyway. He fell back asleep.  
  
Kagome stared at his sleeping form and felt tears come to her eyes. "He's mine, mine, mine! And nobody will take him from me! Finally!" She leaned down and hugged him.  
  
Looking around the camp, Kagome noticed Miroku lying on his back and snoring. Shippo had his tail wrapped around his small body. Raia was curled up in her blanket, and Toki wasn't there.  
  
"Ohayo, Kagome-san." Toki greeted from behind her, adjusting the obi on her red kimono.  
  
Kagome smiled. "Ohayo, how are you? Did you sleep well?"  
  
"Fine, yes, thank you."  
  
Kagome stoked the fire and began to cook some rice for breakfast.  
  
And so another day of searching for the shikon no tama and Raia's parents ensued.  
  
An: Writer's block! I couldn't finish the chapter! Oh well, I hope you're all glad that it turned out to be Kagome+Inuyasha! 


End file.
